CARMA release

At its November board meeting, the CARMA Board voted to give $264,000 to twelve different charitable organizations caring for retired California racehorses.  This figure is an increase of approximately 50 percent from the amount granted in 2008, its first year of fundraising.  Last year, after only 6 months of operation, CARMA was able to grant $150,450 to eight charities.  The predominant source of funding is a .03 percent deduction from purses that goes directly to CARMA.  Owners do…

LAVA MAN FADES TO LAST AFTER 17-MONTH HIATUS

(Edited Santa Anita Park report)

ARCADIA, Calif. – Lava Man faded to last with blood spattered on both rear hooves after leading six rivals for nearly one mile of his comeback attempt before defending champion Proudinsky closed determinedly to win Sunday’s Grade 2, $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.

Graham Ross
Fair Grounds

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Cash Refund proved no disappointment to those who backed him down to 3-10 favoritism when he withstood a strong late challenge from Sam-Son Farms’ Written in Stone to win Sunday’s $47,000 Fair Grounds sprint feature by a half-length.

Jenny Kellner
NYRA/Aqueduct Racetrack

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – IEAH Stables’ Wishful Tomcat made a successful return to racing after a six-month break Sunday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, going wire-to-wire to beat six other New York-breds in the 31st running of the $69,550 Alex M. Robb Handicap.

Penelope Miller
Tampa Bay Downs

OLDSMAR, Fla. – The duo of trainer Kathleen O’Connell and Hilton Garden Inn Jockey of the Month Rosemary Homeister, Jr. teamed up for two trips to the Winner’s Circle today, while Dale Bennett took home two wins for his stable.  Homeister went on to boot home a third winner on the afternoon’s card, making her tied for leading rider for the current Tampa Bay Downs meet.

Graham Ross
Fair Grounds

NEW ORLEANS, La. – General Quarters’ owner-trainer Tom McCarthy reported for duty early at Fair Grounds’ Barn 35 Sunday morning to check on his Blue Grass Stakes winner who returned to competition Saturday afternoon in his first start since last spring’s Preakness.

 LABREA GOES TO EVITA ARGENTINA, ZENYATTA BIDS FARE WELL

(Edited Santa Anite Park report)

ARCADIA, Calif. – Before Santa Anita’s largest opening day crowd in 10 years, M One Rifle fired the biggest shot of an action-packed afternoon when Mike Smith guided the California-bred son of One Man Army to a wire-to-wire, 2½ length victory over 2-1 favorite Misremembered in the 58th running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds while negotiating seven furlongs in 1:21.05 for trainer,…

Graham Ross
Fair Grounds

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Jack Barr, Michele Boyce and Nate Ruffolo’s Princeville Condo came to Fair Grounds and trainer Greg Geier this winter so regular conditioner Boyce could see how well he’d perform on grass against stakes quality competition.

Penelope P. Miller
Tampa Bay Downs

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Cotillion Festival Day Presented by Lambholm South, a day of two-year-old racing headlined by the $75,000 Inaugural Stakes for colts and geldings and the $75,000 Sandpiper Stakes for fillies, drew a crowd of 4,737 for the prelude to Tampa Bay Downs’s three-year-old stakes program which ends with the Festival Day’s Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade 3 Florida Oaks on March 13, 2010.

Michele Blanco
Calder Race Course

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Buongiorno A Tutti Stable’s 3-year-old filly Sweet Repent notched her fourth consecutive victory at Calder Casino & Race Course on Saturday when winning the $100,000 Stage Door Betty Handicap (Grade 3) by the slimmest of margins over the 4-year-old filly Amazing.  It was 3½ lengths back to Aurora Lights in third.